What if I missed the April filing deadline?

Yes, you can e-file your 2011 tax return through October 15, 2012. After that, the IRS shuts down e-filing to get ready for the following tax year, and you will need to file a conventional paper return.

Click here for tax year 2011 filing deadlines.

It all depends.

• There is no penalty if you're getting a refund, provided you file within the allotted 3-year timeframe.
  • After 3 years, the "penalty" is forfeiture of your tax refund, as mentioned above.
• There is no penalty if you filed an extension and paid any additional taxes owed by April 17, as long as you file your return by the October 15 deadline.
• A late filing penalty applies if you owe taxes and didn't file your return or extension by April 17.
  • This penalty also applies if you owe taxes, filed an extension, but didn't file your return by October 15.
  • The late filing penalty is 5% of the additional taxes owed amount for every month (or fraction thereof) your return is late, up to a maximum of 25%.
  • Tip: The late filing penalty is 10 times higher than the late payment penalty. If you can't pay your tax bill and didn't file an extension, at least file your return as soon as possible! You can always amend it later.
• A late payment penalty applies if you didn't pay additional taxes owed by April 17, whether you filed an extension or not.
  • The late payment penalty is 0.5% (1/2 of 1 percent) of the additional tax owed amount for every month (or fraction thereof) the owed tax remains unpaid, up to a maximum of 25%.

Example: Let's say you didn't file your return or extension by the April deadline, and you still owe the IRS an additional $1,000.

Best-case scenario: You file your return in late April of 2012 and submit your payment for $1,000. You would owe an additional $50 for filing late ($1,000 x .05) plus another $5 for late payment ($1,000 x .005) for a total penalty of $55.

(Had you filed your extension by the deadline, your total penalty would only be $5. It pays to file an extension!)

Worst-case scenario: You file your 2011 return in April of 2017, 5 years late, and submit your payment for $1,000. You would owe an additional $250 for filing late ($1,000 x the maximum .25) plus another $250 for late payment ($1,000 x the maximum .25), for a total penalty of $500.

You'll probably receive a letter from the IRS reminding you to file your tax return, particularly if W-2 or 1099 forms were reported to the IRS by your employers. For additional information, refer to the IRS article What Will Happen If You Don't File Your Past Due Return or Contact The IRS.

If you are due a refund, you'll forfeit your refund if you do not file by April 15, 2015 (or October 15 of 2015 if you filed an extension).

If you are out of the country on the April filing deadline, you are allowed two extra months to file your return and pay the amount due, without needing to request an extension.

You're out of the country if:

• You live outside of the United States or Puerto Rico and your main place of work is outside of the United States or Puerto Rico; or
• You are in military or naval service outside of the United States or Puerto Rico.

If you need more time, you can request four additional months by filing an extension along with paying any taxes you owe.

Other situations

• If you have not received Form W-2, or you believe your Form W-2 is incorrect, contact the IRS for a resolution.
• If you cannot pay the amount of taxes owed, you should file your tax return anyway before the deadline and pay as much as you can to avoid additional penalties. The IRS will send you a bill or notice for the balance due. In some cases the IRS can offer alternative account resolutions if a taxpayer cannot pay in full with the return. See the IRS Web page Installment Agreements for more information.
• If you are self-employed, you must file returns reporting self-employment income within three years of the original filing deadline in order to receive Social Security credits toward your retirement.